Improvement in sofa-bedsteads



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN S. KENYON, OF WEBSTER CITY', IOWA.

IMPROVEMENT IN SOFA-BEDST'EADS. Y

Speccation forming part of Letters Patent No. 56,064, dated July 3, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN S. KENYON, of Webster City, in the county of Hamilton and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Folding-Bedsteads; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the nature, construction, and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part of this speciiication, and in which- Figure l is a perspective view of my improved folding bedstead in its closed condition. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same, the red lines in this igure showing the parts in their open position. l

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondin g parts-in the different figures.

This invention relates to a bedstead which is divided longitudinally in such a way, that it may be folded up, and thus converted into a sofa or be laid aside in some convenient spot, so as to occupy but little room.

In order that others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains may be enabled to fully understand and use the same, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

In the accompanying drawings, A A may l represent the bed-bottom, which term includes j the side and end rails, as well as the slats or other central supporting portion of the bedstead.

B B represent the head-board, and O C the foot-board. The bottom A A is divided longitudinally and hinged at a a, so thatthe section A' may be tur-ned up into the position .shown in Fig. l. The head and foot boards are hinged at b and c, respectively, so that when the section A' of the bottom is turned up the sections B C of. the head and foot boards may be folded in, so as not only to assume a compact form, but sustain the section A in its upright position.

In turning up the section A it' is detained when upright by a suitable stop or shoulder, a.

Simple cleats on the posts D D may be employed to sustain the outer side of the section A when the latter is turned down to form the bed-bottom; but instead of such cleats the catches E E may be fixed to the posts D D and made to enter recesses F F in the section A when the same is'turned down.

The recesses F F may be metal-bound on the outer edge.

It is believed that the catches'E and recesses F constitute the best fastening, for they not only serve to support the section A', but hold the parts A' B G firmly together.

The catches E E need no other description i than to say they are strips of metal bent as shown, and secured to the part-s by rivets or otherwise.

Any other fastening or supporting device may be used instead of the above.

A metallic spring-catch may be made to hold the sectionsB C' together when the bedstead is folded. l

.The under side ofthe hinged section A may be made to imitate panel-work, or otherwise ornainented so as to present a neat Vappearance when the bedstead is folded up.

In stating the manipulation of this bedstead it is only necessary to say that to convert it into a compact article of neat and ornamental furniture the bottom section A is iii-st turned into an upright position, and the bead and foot board sections B' C turned at a right angle with the stationary sections B C.

The bedstead thus folded up, with the sections B O presented outward, will constitute a neat and desirable article of furniture.

By turning the bedstead around it may he used as a sofa7 in which case the stationary portion A of the bottom will form. the seat of the sofa, and the upright section A the back thereof'.

When it is designed to use the bedstead as a sofa special proportions of the several parts should be observed in the construction.

Having thus described vmy invention, the following is what I claim as new herein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. The hinged bottom A A', in combination A with the hinged head and foot boards B B O O', all arranged to operate substantially as herein specified. v

In combination with the above, the catches E E and recesses F F, substantially as described. I

JOHN S. KENYON.

Witnesses GHAs. D. SMITH, JOHN A. WIEDERSHEIM. 

